1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for feeding recording paper, which is provided, for example, in the casing of a facsimile apparatus and feeds the paper in a reception operation mode, a transmission operation mode and a copy operation mode of the facsimile apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
There is known a facsimile apparatus having a transmission operation mode, a reception operation mode and a copy operation mode. The technique of feeding recording paper or originals by using a single motor in the three operation modes of the facsimile apparatus is disclosed in Published Unexamined Japanese Patent Application (PUJPA) No. 63-148758 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 4,866,531).
The motor used in this technique has an output shaft which is rotatable in a forward direction and a reverse direction. In the reception operation mode of the facsimile apparatus, the output shaft of the motor is rotated in one direction. This rotation is transmitted to a platen roller via a first one-way clutch, thereby feeding recording paper.
In the transmission operation mode of the facsimile apparatus, the output shaft of the motor is rotated in the other direction (opposite to the said one direction). This rotation is transmitted to a white roller having a white outer peripheral surface via a second one-way clutch. In the transmission operation mode, switching means is operated to transmit the rotation in the other direction to an ADF (auto document feeder) roller. The ADF roller feeds an original with an image to be transmitted. Accordingly, the original is fed by the white roller and ADF roller.
In the copy operation mode of the facsimile apparatus, the output shaft of the motor is rotated in one direction, and the rotation is transmitted to the platen roller via the first one-way clutch. In addition, since the switching means is operated in the copy operation mode, the rotation in one direction is transmitted to the ADF roller. Thus, both the platen roller and ADF roller are simultaneously rotated to feed the original and recording paper.
In the meantime, a roll of recording paper is generally used in the facsimile apparatus. The facsimile apparatus has a cutter (recording paper cutting means) for cutting the recording paper at desired length. The cutter and a recording unit are separated in the direction of feeding recording paper.
Consequently, each recording paper sheet cut by the cutter has a marginal portion corresponding to the distance between its delivery tip portion and the cutter.
Means for reducing the marginal portion is not employed in the recording paper feeding apparatus of PUJPA 63-148758. Thus, in the conventional apparatus, recording paper has a large useless marginal portion.
There is a case where continuous form recording paper is used. This recording paper has perforation lines at regular intervals in the longitudinal direction thereof. The paper is folded along the perforation lines. The continuous form recording paper is passed through the recording means and fed out of the body of the facsimile apparatus. Part of the paper, located outside the apparatus, is cut along the perforation line. The cut part is a paper sheet having a predetermined size.
Thus, there is a marginal portion between the perforation line, used for cutting the paper sheet, and the next perforation line. The marginal portion corresponds to the distance between the perforation line, used for cutting the paper sheet, and the recording means. Accordingly, the range of recording between the adjacent perforation lines of the continuous form recording paper is small, in relation to the predetermined size.